The present invention relates to an apparatus for making holes in a thick stack of paper. Such an apparatus is known from German Pat. No. 12 18 277. The apparatus used therein uses a hollow sleeve-like tool with a cutting edge located in the front area and which, on rotating, is used as a drill. This apparatus, which involves a considerable expenditure of force and correspondingly heavy loading of the paper, is relatively complicated, particularly if it is necessary to provide a plurality of closely juxtaposed, parallel holes. The drilling waste is in part considerably torn and harmful dilling dust is produced.
It has already been proposed to punch with piercing punches without involving any rotation. However, the process is slow and impossible to automate, because it is necessary to work against a soft waste paper substrate.